Any of you ever heard of the Direct Hits ignition systems? It's pretty much just a set of non-resistor spark plugs with capacitors/shielding plugs over the tops of them, from what I can tell. I've talked to a few people who've tried it on their trucks and they claim it's the real deal. No "snake oil". I'm going to order a set for my truck and if they really are as good as people say they are, my girl wants to try it on her slant. Something like that (again, if it works as advertised) with the HEI conversion sounds like it could be a helluvan upgrade to the factory slant ignitions. Just wondering if any of you guys have heard of 'em.

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

Sure, secondary capacitors. JC Whitney and Honest Charlie used to sell setups like this in the '60s and '70s, with the same hyped claims of mega mileage, faster pickup, and possibly better-tasting coffee. Same bogus "Wow, look how much bigger and brighter the spark is!" photographs, too. A spark plug either works (lights its cylinder) or doesn't. Color me skeptical, especially with the handwaving and pseudoscientific advertising hype we see for this system (e.g. Here).
What exactly do they claim? The usual jive, a bunch more MPG, two seconds off their ET, etc? People say the same thing about Slick-50, splitfire spark plugs, and all kinds of other crapola.

(And I see they supply Bosch spark plugs, which are now made in China. Yaaaay!)

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Well considering our trucks are Toyota Land Cruisers, anyone running one in a quarter mile would be a complete idiot to begin with
But the claims are basically a small but noticable power increase, and slight mileage improvement. Nothing along miracle product lines, but definately noticable. I attribute it to just the fact that they're non-resistor plugs. from the looks of it, they just took old technology and figured out how to make it work much more reliably.

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

Not me. Nonresistor plugs do not give better performance or mileage than resistor plugs.

I attribute it to the new spark plugs they include with the kit, which will usually be used to replace old spark plugs. Nothin' more or less than that, just a new set of spark plugs.
I see no data suggesting this system is reliable or previous systems weren't.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Yeah I've found nothing along those lines either. That's just going off of what I've been told by guys who've ordered the system. These dudes have been gearheads since before I was born, so they've seen alot more stuff like that than I have
I'll find out if it's just due to the new plugs or not though, since I always keep my plugs clean, perfectly gapped, and indexed (I check 'em every time I change my oil just in case something starts to show up. At 212K miles I figure it's a good idea).

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

If I'm not mistaken, non-resistor plugs equal static from your radio.

Roger

Way ahead of ya.

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I've been calling it as i see it for my entire life and that's not about to change. Take it or leave it.

One thing that I think's a little weird about their system. A lot of aftermarket systems (and, for that matter, some Ford EDIS and other stock systems found on newer cars) use either an extended burn or fire multiple sparks. It seems this is effective on some engine designs, but not on others. My guess is that when it works, there is enough motion in the combustion chamber that the flame front drifts away from the spark plug and the extended burn or extra sparks create a longer flame front.

But what's interesting about DirectHits is that it seems to take the opposite approach. They brag about a higher voltage, but it's for a much shorter time. I suppose this could work if an engine's cylinder pressure was so high the stock ignition couldn't reliably ignite it and caused it to missfire. But if the stock ignition works, this seems like a step backwards.

BTW, anybody have any dyno test results from running an MSD box or similar mult-spark system on a slant six?

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"Mad Scientist" Matt Cramer
'66 Dart - turbocharged 225
My blog - Mad Scientist Matt's Lair

Notice the first part of the claim in the ad copy: "This is reported to ..." Those, my friends, are weasel words. If they could prove it, they'd say it, and proudly cite some study, or test standard used.
I also find it interesting that their first complete applications are Neons and PT Cruisers.
The product may work as advertised. I don't think I'll try it just yet.

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"When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it." - Pointy-haired Boss

1964 Valiant V200, 225/Pushbutton 904
BBD, CAI, HEI, LBP, AC, AM/FM/USB, EIEIO

If the system can put out a higher voltage for the spark it could jump a
larger gap. The spark plug gap could be widened and provide a hotter
spark. Could that ignite the fuel more completely? Thus resulting in better
gas mileage.

funny, but i recall using a labscope to diagnose ingition concerns in the past and the pattern they show for the direct hits ignition looks an awful lot like a bad plug or plugwire. i wonder if their setup runs similarly.
a bad/worn plug will case the wire to breakdown prematurely, and so-on upstream in the ignition system.
i'm no engineer, but it just sounds bad.

-james

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It IS bad.

It taxes not only the wires, but the coil packs, and shortens their life.

The reason they describe the spark duration as being shorter is not because this is an intended outcome, but because that is the only way the condenser can concentrate that power, is by shortening its duration. It cannot generate electricity.

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I've been calling it as i see it for my entire life and that's not about to change. Take it or leave it.

Color me perfectly willing to let someone else spend their money on these. Then please come back with real numbers for before and after MPG and E.T.

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'64 Dart GT convertible, 64 Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust (the Az Dart) & a sixty THREE Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust. (future project)
Early Dart Disorder (EDD) is real, and I've got it!

Some of te mines out in the west, at least a few years back, liked to use these because they wouldn't interfere with the electric detonators. Pretty muck all the small engines used for mud pumps, generators are diesel. but some still use narural gas and compressed air

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1967 D100 /225

Some of us catch on slow, and some of us don't.

I have one of those on an old lawnmower, and it quit fouling plugs(so often)
That is the only advantage I have found with those things.
Seems to run the plug hotter, or maybe it just builds up enough voltage to jump "thru" the oily goo on the plug?????